Niner Mountain Bikes

Foundation of Niner bikes - mountain bikes & frames producer

Niner Bikes was founded by Chris Sugai and Steve Domahidy. They met in 2003 on a local Wednesday night ride that they participate in every week to this day. Niner is the culmination of many conversations over coffee, the handlebars, or a cold beer.

An active bike rider since childhood, Chris found the simplicity of the single speed a throwback to his BMX years and has been raving about it ever since. Then Chris bought a 29er on a whim, turned it into a single speed, and now scoffs at any wheel smaller. Having ridden on almost every type of terrain imaginable and in most conditions (including the craze of a 24 hour race) Chris considers the Niner to be “the most efficient way to get from here to there.” Since age 19, Chris has owned and operated his own company, building it from scratch into a comfortable business. Niner is the first company for him that combines a personal passion with his determined business sense. He is extremely excited about what’s to come from Niner Bikes.

Steve Domahidy has also been an active bike rider since childhood. He, however, brings to Niner Bikes fifteen years in the bicycling business doing everything from sales, to race support to product development and finally to designing frames. For the last two years, Steve was hired by Supergo to help revamp their troubled Weyless mountain bike line and to build on the newly created Scattante Road bike line. His first design from scratch under the Weyless banner was the award winning Weyless XP. Steve developed a close relationship with Easton over the years having worked with them on the development of the Scandium Scattante SC-R, which received rave reviews from magazine editors, and the Easton Ultralight tubed R-550 and R-650 road frames. The R-650 received Ultegra Bike of the Year from Bicycling magazine. Both the Weyless and Scattante brands found critical success and resulted in amazing growth under Steve’s direction. As passionate about bikes and the industry as Steve is, he decided it was time to embark on a new adventure. Having built his resume and contacts throughout the industry, Steve plunged into Niner bikes with an abundance of resources, knowledge, and pure determination.

The Big Revolution; is it a state of mind or a way of doing things? Is it inspiration or a peek into the future? Is it 29” wheels or a company’s commitment to making the best products, period. It’s all of these things. The Big Revolution is our revolution.

Commitment to 29 inch in Niner mountain bikes

Niner Bikes is fully committed to the 29er movement. Niner Bikes is the only mountain bike company solely dedicated to everything 29 inch wheels. But they’re also committed to the movement of mountain biking. They’re committed to long back country rides where getting lost is actually the point. They’re committed to lazy rides, to group rides, to night rides, to Saturday morning rides. They’re committed to making every ride, no matter the length or physical exertion, the best ride you’ve ever had. Niner Bikes is committed to the core fun and soul of mountain biking.

Niner Bikes is also focused on making the best possible products. Every single Niner mountain bike we make starts on a clean sheet of paper (virtual paper, that is) and is designed in house, from the ground up. Every angle, every tube, every single aspect of the frame is poured over with a fine tooth comb to make sure we were doing it the best possible way. From the head tube to the drop outs, every detail is picked apart, and put back together again. Prototypes are made, ridden, and then broken in the testing lab. Our frames pass the stringent German DIN Plus testing. How can we get more mud clearance for the guys back east? What’s the best possible BB height to maximize crank arm clearance while still maintaining a short chainstay and a stable ride? What happens when we huck this Easton Scandium single speed off a six foot flat to flat drop off (the answer, by the way, was a tweaked wheel, but that’s it). Everyone here at Niner rides.

We try to hit as many terrains as possible, to help understand the varying needs that different environments require. The pride we take in what we do translates to an unparalleled commitment to quality and service. We build what we want to ride, in the hopes you would want to ride it too and then we follow that up with taking care of you the way we would want to be taken care of. It’s that simple.

For those of you who have ridden a 29” wheel Niner mountain bike, you know the ecstasy of swooping through the trails unhindered by what’s below you. You know the way a 29er feels when you’re at max speed and you can just lean into a turn, and the bike will follow without complaint. But have you experienced the Big Revolution? Have you thrown a leg over a Niner and felt the confidence inspiring geometry, the leap frog acceleration, and the ultimate stability?

For those of you who haven’t yet experienced the joys of the larger wheel, welcome. The Big Revolution is upon you and Niner Bikes is leading the charge. Don’t let it pass you by.

Also check Moots mountain bikes.